Water Well Permit Restrictions

On December 16, 2014, the Board of Supervisors adopted ordinance (Ventura County Ordinance No. 4468). Section 4826.1 - Water Well and Water Well Permit Prohibitions restricts the issuance of new water well permits in portions of the unincorporated area of Ventura County. The attached map shows those unincorporated areas subject to these restrictions (Cuyama basin in the northwest corner of the County is not shown on the map.)

The restrictions apply to the construction of new water wells and the modification or repair to existing water wells There are exceptions for certain repairs or modifications that do not increase capacity, as well as for back-up or stand-by wells. In addition, there are provisions whereby the Public Works Director may waive the restrictions.

If you are contemplating a project that requires a well permit, you should first look to see if you are subject Section 4826.1 - Water Well and Water Well Permit Prohibitions (i.e. is your property outside the designated area or is the well work not subject to restriction?).

If your proposed project is not subject to Section 4826.1 - Water Well and Water Well Permit Prohibitions, you may apply for a well permit through the normal permitting process.

You should contact the Watershed Protection District before beginning the formal permitting process and get a determination as to whether your project falls under one of the exceptions outlined in the ordinance, or whether it is eligible for a waiver. You should contact Glenn Shephard, Director of the Watershed Protection District, at 654-2040 or via e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a determination.

If the Watershed Protection District determines that your proposal qualifies for an exception from the requirements of the ordinance or grants you a waiver, the project may continue through the normal permitting process.

If it is determined that neither an exception nor a waiver can be granted, the application/proposal cannot continue through the permitting process until either the provisions of the ordinance no longer apply to the property, or a Groundwater Sustainability Plan has been adopted for the groundwater basin

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The primary goal of the Resource Management Agency is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public through administration and enforcement of County ordinances, Board policy, and state and federal laws regarding land use, and commercial and environmental regulation.